Never Been Kissed
by ClintonBush43Obama
Summary: When Katniss hears something she shouldn't, she desperately wants to know what it's like to have romantic relations, even though she doesn't think herself beautiful enough to deserve them. How her best friend shows her will irrevocably change all their lives forever. Enjoy!
1. Chapter 1: The Slag Heap

**Chapter 1: The Slag Heap**

It was the end of another school day in District 12. Katniss Everdeen made for her locker as soon as the final bell rang. She was relieved to see her two best friends, Gale Hawthorne and Peeta Mellark, waiting for her with smiles.

"Hello, boys," she grinned, giving them each a hug. The three had been friends since preschool.

"Hey, Mockingjay," Peeta returned. Katniss smiled. He had given her that pet name long ago, after he had heard her sing in a school assembly. "Ready to go get Prim and start the weekend?"

"Definitely," Katniss grinned. She turned to her hunting partner. "Ready, Gale?"

"Actually, it'll be just you and Peeta with Prim today. I'm sorry; there's just something I need to take care of."

Katniss blinked. The three of them always walked home together with Prim; it was routine. She brushed the hurt away. If Gale had to miss out on their afternoon walk, he must have his reasons. "O….OK," she said as casually as she good.

For some reason, Gale would not meet her eyes as he hugged her, bro-hugged Peeta and disappeared into the crowd.

"What's with him?" Peeta asked.

Katniss turned to him. "He didn't tell you before I walked up?"

"No," Peeta shrugged. He was sporting a tight frown, but it quickly turned into a smile. He threw a brotherly arm over her shoulder and Katniss cuddled into him without another thought. "Come on. Let's go get our little passenger."

They picked Prim up downstairs in the Lower School. The youngest Everdeen was only 12 and in 6th grade.

The walk home was filled with content as usual. Peeta and Katniss walked side-by-side, Prim bubbling to them about what they had done in class that day.

As the center of town passed into the Merchant town where Peeta lived, the trio passed by a giant dumping ground for trash, colloquially known as the Slag Heap. It was a staple of District 12 lore; there were whispers that older children of the District did….. sexual stuff there.

"Oh, Gale!"

Katniss stopped short. That voice sounded like Madge Undersee, the Mayor's daughter. And it was coming from the Slag Heap. She felt her heart nearly stop and she wanted to cry. _That couldn't be why he…._

Peeta had heard it, too. "Katniss," he said as calmly as he could. "Let's keep going."

Katniss didn't do anything to indicate she even heard him. Then, she moved forward to enter the Slag Heap.

"Katniss, no!" Peeta lunged forward and grabbed her hand. "It's Gale's business," he hissed as Katniss struggled. "We don't have the right to interfere!"

There came another airy wail from Madge from behind one of the mountains of trash. Prim was now looking between the sounds, her sister and friend in confusion. Katniss got loose from Peeta.

"Katniss, I said no!" Peeta snapped, intercepting her again.

"Peeta…." Prim whimpered.

"Prim, go home! We're right behind you." Peeta threw over his shoulder. The little girl didn't move, so he turned to face her. "Go home, I said! We'll meet you back at your house."

Prim dashed away. Peeta managed to get an arm around Katniss before firmly leading her away. She briefly resisted, before turning into Peeta and trying not to cry.

Peeta guided her through the Merchant town, past his own house and the bakery, all the way into the Seam and to the Everdeen's front door.

"Go see to Prim and your mother," he told her gently. "We will talk about this later."

Katniss looked at him, her eyes sad. "What about Gale?"

"If anyone is going to talk to him, it's me. And I still might, I might not. We'll have to see." He gave her a hug and wished her a good evening. Then he walked off into the blazing late afternoon.


	2. Chapter 2: Laying Claim

**Chapter 2: Laying Claim**

Over the next several days, Peeta and Katniss acted like nothing was wrong around Gale. Even Prim knew to keep her mouth shut, though she didn't understand what it was all about.

Almost two weeks after the incident, Gale declined the walk home again, though this time he said he had to go help his mother care for his sick little brother, Rory. Katniss merely nodded, and Peeta expressed that Rory get well soon. Only when they spied him meeting up with his mother in the parking lot did they believe him.

"I knew he wasn't lying about Rory," Katniss sighed. She kicked at a rock as she and Peeta journeyed home. "There's a bad flu going around; I bet Prim just got it from him." Prim had been taken out of school early that day by her mother for a doctor's appointment on the opposite side of Twelve; they wouldn't be back until late that evening.

Peeta cracked a grin. "I bet Prim doesn't mind, considering it's from Rory." Katniss gave him a sideways glance and he laughed. "I can see them at lunch hour just as easily as you can. If they don't have middle-school crushes on each other, I'm President Snow."

They had reached the Slag Heap now. Unfortunately, the road beside it was closed for repairs, so the pair had to pass through the dump. They did so cautiously – who knew what illicitness they might stumble upon? But, it appeared to be deserted of lovers – at least for today.

"I'm not surprised they like each other," Katniss expressed. "Rory and Prim. Honestly, she's the beauty of the two of us. Can you imagine when she gets to Upper School?"

"She'll have me there to keep all them boys away," Peeta drawled.

"Not if her big sister shoots them first," Katniss bantered back wittily. They laughed. "No, once she's old enough, she'll marry and have kids. Our family line will continue through her."

"And you," Peeta prompted.

Katniss shook her head. "No, not me." She sighed. "I've only ever loved Gale as a brother; I guess I was being protective when we heard what he was doing, that's all." She looked down at her feet. "I wish there was someone like Gale for me. But, it's useless to dream. I'll never get noticed like that."

She was unaware that Peeta staring at her. "You don't know that," he said quietly.

"Oh, yes I do!" Katniss said. "Peeta, let's face facts: no boy has ever taken me down here to the Slag Heap for a screw. I've never even been kissed before! I'm not pretty."

"What?" Peeta laughed nervously. "Katniss, don't be ridiculous!"

"I'm not…."

"Katniss, you're absolutely beautiful!"

She smiled, blushing and batted him away. Suddenly, she let out a strangled gasp as Peeta took her in his arms and kissed her softly, yet firmly on the lips.

Katniss stayed stock-still. This was her first kiss! With her best friend! And she didn't know what to do! Clumsily, she began to flex her lips against his, tentatively kissing him back. Their lips engaged, released, then engaged and released again. Katniss's eyes fluttered shut and she dared to hum slightly in pleasure. She leaned into Peeta, but before she could wrap her arms around him, she felt him releasing her.

Katniss stayed rooted to the spot, her eyes still closed and lips still puckered. She finally let out the tension in her body, opening her eyes to see Peeta staring at her. She eyed him before giving an amused grin. "Well, Peeta Joseph Mellark," she observed prissily.

Peeta's eyes went wide with terror. "What's the matter?"

"That was some first kiss!" She smiled softly at him. "Thank you."

Peeta grinned. "No problem."

They kept walking through the Slag Heap. As they got closer to home, Katniss thought about all she would need to do to feed her family. It would be a tough summer; would they have enough to eat? She thought about how she still had not had sex before. Peeta's kiss had been fine for a first kiss, but still she wanted to know…..

An unsettling idea began to form in her brain. A way to get the sexual experience she so desperately craved and a fallback plan for feeding her family.

"It's going to be a hard summer," she observed out loud. Peeta nodded.

"Will you have enough for your mother and Prim?"

She sighed. "I don't know." She should have just kept her mouth shut from then on, but no. She had to press the point. She needed advice from her best friend.

"Peeta…. are you a virgin?"

Peeta stopped dead and turned to face her, a knowing smile on his face. "Now, Katniss, as a matter of fact, I am, but why do you want to know?" He raised an eyebrow. "I never thought you much cared for sexual things like that."

Katniss frowned at him. "Just because I don't worry about what I wear doesn't mean I don't have sexual urgings." All at once, she began to cry. "I just want to see what it's like. Just once. But I have to feed my family! I may have to go to Cray just to get by…."

"WHAT?!" Peeta yelped.

They were at the far entrance of the Slag Heap now. Just beyond the gate, there was Cray, the Head Peacekeeper's house. He was notorious for having poor Seam girls sexually please him, for a price.

As if the sick man could see them, Peeta seized Katniss and pulled her back into the shadows of a large trash heap. He gave her a shake.

"Why didn't you tell me things were this bad?" he demanded. "You should have told me!" He thought for a moment. "I'll get you the money, Katniss. Whatever it is, I'll give you the money. Just promise me you won't go to that gutter rat of a Peacekeeper! You have more pride than that!"

Katniss sniffled and stared up at him with red eyes. "I can't ask you to set aside some of your family's savings for me. You're too good a friend."

"I'm more than that!" Peeta bravely said. "I goddamn love you!"

Katniss's eyes went wide and she stared at him, mouth agape. Now, it all came together. The way he had insisted she was beautiful. The way he had up and kissed her.

"How…. how long?" she finally managed.

Peeta had taken a sudden interest in his shoelaces. "Since I heard you sing in pre-school. I always wanted to be your friend. I just hoped it might turn into something more once we were grown." He cleared his throat awkwardly. "I was going to tell you how I felt at graduation in two years. I'd already started planning what I was going to say!"

Katniss couldn't help but laugh. Her eyes flooded with tears again. "You love me?" she croaked out. Peeta nodded.

Katniss was never one to act rashly, but she had a decision to make. So, she chose. "OK," she got out. She pulled him down to her.

As Peeta and Katniss embraced, the young huntress wound her arms tightly around the handsome baker's neck. They kissed open-mouthed, desperately with tongue. Peeta tasted like honey.

All at once, Katniss remembered where they were. Feeling bold, she raised her leg to Peeta's hip, hooking her knee around his waist. Peeta squirmed out of the kiss.

"What are you doing?"

"Make love to me!" Katniss blurted out.

Peeta blinked, perplexed. "What?"

"You heard me. Make gentle love to me, right here in the Slag Heap. Talk sweetly and plow me right here." Peeta still looked unsure, so she played her trump card. "It's either that or I go to Cray."

"No!" Peeta choked, and he yanked her back into the kiss. They heatedly made out for a minute, two before breaking apart. Peeta broke the kiss again. His eyes glanced about wildly, wondering if they were being observed.

"Not here," he hissed, even as Katniss pleadingly reached for him. "Do you trust me?"

Katniss gawked at him. "Yes," she gasped, as if it was obvious.

Kissing her again, Peeta swept Katniss off her feet and carried her grandly, bridal-style, out of the Slag Heap and through the back woods until they came out into the Meadow. He laid her down gently in the tall grass being tickled by sunlight. They broke apart yet again as Peeta now hovered over her.

"Is this all right?"

Katniss stared at him intensely, before silently leaning back to lie flat. Not once breaking eye contact, Peeta crawled over until he was right on top of her. Between tender kisses, the friends stripped each other reverently of their clothes. Katniss splayed her legs wide so Peeta could kneel between them. As he brushed her skin, she could feel his hands shaking. At least he knew as little about sex as she did. Indeed, his movements seemed uncertain. She knew why. More than not knowing what to do, Peeta was enough of a gentleman to not want to accidentally hurt her. But what was the point in that, sweet as it was? They both knew it was going to hurt, for Katniss especially. The Family Planning courses in Upper School had at least taught them that.

Peeta leaned forward over Katniss, and she raised her legs to his sides. It took him a minute to get his bearings and find a good position so as not to put his weight on her. Katniss smiled through her nerves. _Always the perfect gentleman…._

She gasped suddenly and arched into him when his hand pinched her nipple. He silently asked her if she approved, and she nodded her consent.

His hands were warm. Kind. Gentle. As he palmed her breasts with the expertness from years of kneading dough, as his lips danced across the curve of her neck, Katniss knew she didn't want anyone besides him to touch her in this way. Desperate for more, she twisted her leg closer to him and all at once felt his erection. It was hard. And hot. Something wet and sticky tainted the inside of her thigh. Pre-cum. Knowing he was wanting her as much as she desired him, she guided him into her, covering his mouth with hers to stifle the scream.

The pain was unbelievable, like someone ripping fabric out of your center. Upon Katniss unleashing a muffled squeal into his mouth, Peeta sprang away and pulled out of her.

"No!" Katniss gasped airily, reaching for him. "It's OK, Peeta, sorry. I'm OK!"

Peeta's eyes filled with tears. "I don't want to hurt you!" he wheezed through his throat.

"You won't," Katniss begged, willing to say anything to get him back inside her. "I trust you, I love you. We love each other." She was babbling, but she didn't care. "Peeta…" she whispered soothingly until he would look her in the eye. " _Take. Me._ Claim me! Make me yours!"

Peeta tenderly sheathed himself into Katniss's vagina again. Katniss stared up at the deep blue sky above her, her eyes wide, mouth agape with the feeling. "Yesssss…" she hissed in triumph.

Peeta stayed still for a long moment, allowing Katniss to get used to the feel of him. Then, he slowly began to slide in and out, in and out. Katniss began to roll her hips into him to help create the friction.

It was magic. It was paradise. Katniss stared up at the sky, eyes half-fluttered open. Sunlight kissed her alabaster skin as sweetly as Peeta's lips now did her neck, where his face was now buried into its curves, the strands of her brown hair. Above them, Katniss could almost swear she heard sweet music, harmonizing with the twittering of the crickets and the birds, which seemed to be blessing her and Peeta's union.

A loud groan from Peeta interrupted this sweet soundtrack. He was pumping faster into her now. She writhed beneath him, the grass and earth digging into her back beneath her. She clawed at Peeta's muscular shoulder blades as his breathing became shallower. It was a long time before Peeta let out an inhuman moan like she had never beheld and shuddered his seed into her, then drooped his head to the soil so as to catch his breath.

Peeta spotted the blood now dripping from her inner thighs as she made to stand. She could barely get her body to function. Peeta gently cleaned the blood and semen from both of them and they dressed. Upon reaching the fence at the edge of the Meadow, Katniss stooped down and nearly collapsed from the sharp stab of pain between her legs. Peeta was there to catch her, scooping her up in his arms and carrying her all the way to her front porch. He refused to set her down for a long moment. Katniss caressed a hand over his face and kissed him sweetly.

"Thank you," she whispered. "I'm glad you were my first."

"Yeah," he answered, pecking her on the lips himself. "I'm glad you were my first, too."

She watched him from her front door as he headed off down the street.


	3. Chapter 3: Carrying His Little One

**Chapter 3: Carrying his Little One**

It was weeks before Katniss began to feel strange. She would vomit at the strangest moments. She was eating more, but sleeping less. She gained a lot of weight. At last, she was freshening up in the bathroom one morning when she felt something shift _inside_ her.

Startled, she raised her shirt and looked at her belly, which had curved out just slightly. _Oh, no. I can't be…._

With a startled cry, she stumbled backward, crumpling into her vanity. Her mother and Prim came running to find her wailing on the floor.

The words tumbled out. Katniss told them everything – how they had heard Gale in the Slag Heap, how Peeta had kissed her when she said she would never find love, how she had asked him to make love to her and threatened to go sell herself to Cray if she refused. By the time she was through, Prim was crying and Mrs. Everdeen had her face buried in her hands.

"And you're sure you didn't use protection?" her mother pressed for the fifth time.

"I told you, I skipped that class session," Katniss again explained. She paused before saying quietly, "It's not his fault, Mama. Peeta is a good man. A generous man. He's been in love with me since we were little."

Mrs. Everdeen looked up, her eyes bloodshot. "Will he marry you?"

"I don't know," Katniss admitted. "But I know Peeta. He'll probably propose marriage to me as soon as I tell him about the baby. It's what he's always wanted, to call me his wife."

Satisfied, Mrs. Everdeen nodded. "At least he's a Merchant boy. I can rest a little easier knowing you'll be taken care of."

Katniss nodded. "I'll tell him tomorrow at school."


	4. Chapter 4: Defending Your Family

**Chapter 4: Defending Your Family**

Peeta was both terrified and overjoyed to learn that Katniss was carrying his child inside of her. As predicted, he immediately proposed marriage, bringing a simple band for Katniss's finger the next day.

"I had it all planned that I would propose to you a few years after starting work," he admitted as he slipped it on. "But I guess now I won't have to wait!"

Katniss could only laugh at his cuteness. Talk about planning ahead!

It took a little while to convince Gale that everything had been consensual and the pregnancy an accident. Eventually, he came around and was only too eager to help his best friends. That would include being Best Man at the wedding, in which Katniss and Peeta wed in a small ceremony in the Justice Building. He also helped them refurbish an abandoned house in the Merchant District, not far from Peeta's parents.

* * *

One morning, Katniss walked arm-in-arm with both Peeta and Gale into the Hob. Peeta was excited, but Gale was a little reluctant.

"Let's just grab whatever fabric we need and get out of here!" he hissed. "I don't want to be caught admiring pink wallpaper or something!"

"Lighten up, dude!" Peeta laughed jovially. "Katniss only needs it to decorate the baby's room."

The three finally reached the fabric rack. Katniss had to have Peeta and Gale practically climb it to retrieve the fabric she wanted. Just then, the stench of alcohol flooded their nostrils – and it wasn't District 12's resident Hunger Games victor, Haymitch Abernathy.

"My, my, my – you've sure filled out, Ms. Everdeen," Cray warbled as he gave her a leering smile.

Katniss gripped Peeta's arms tightly and both he and Gale closed racks around her as inconspicuously as possible. "It's Mrs. Mellark, now, actually." Seeing the creepy bastard now for the first time in months, she felt so relieved she had let Peeta bed her and take away her virginity, not Cray.

Cray must have been super drunk, otherwise he would not have said, "Shame you are so tied down, Mrs. Mellark – and with child, no less. The things I could have shown you….."

Peeta took a threatening step forward. "With all due respect, Mr. Head Peacekeeper, I'll have to ask that you don't speak to my wife like that again."

Cray glared down at Peeta. "You don't scare me, _boy_ ," he snarled. "Don't know why she agreed to fuck a talentless thing like you."

Gale moved forward to defend his friend's honor, but Peeta held him back. Cray's comment had given him an idea. What's more, he had just the right audience, with the Hob having gone deathly quiet.

"Ah, but she did, Mr. Cray," Peeta purred quietly. "Would you like to know how I did it?"

Katniss and Gale stared at each other. Where on earth was he going with this?

"We were in the Slag Heap," Peeta began. "She was actually going to come to you for her first time, you little shit. She was desperate. But I stopped her. She kissed me, begged me to make love to her. I took her right into the Meadow and slowly, gently _fucked_ her."

Katniss shook her head, not liking where this was going. "Peeta….."

"I smelled her perfume and her sweat," Peeta snarled, his voice dripping with malice. "What a gift it was that she gave me, beyond my wildest dreams…."

"Peeta, don't." Katniss said a little more forcefully, but her husband was just getting warmed up.

"Now, I imagine you're upset," he continued, pretending to care. The whole Hob could hear now. "….but I got to her first. I claimed her first! And no one is ever going to touch her like that except for me. You got that?"

"Peeta, stop!" Katniss screamed, hands over her ears.

Too late. Peeta had (correctly) gambled and won on the premise that Cray would be goaded into violence if he were taunted by details of Katniss as a sexual conquest.

The one thing Peeta had failed to plan for was exactly how that violence would be manifested.

Cray suddenly drew his gun. There was an audible scream from the crowd as Peeta spread himself wide to shield his wife and best friend. _He wouldn't actually dare try and shoot_ –

BANG! Cray pumped a round right into Peeta's gut. The boy's face drained of color and he sank to his knees.

"PEETA!" Katniss screamed, tears springing to her eyes. Gale instinctively threw her behind him, thinking Cray was going to turn on them, but the old fart was only paying attention to the wounded boy at his feet.

Raising a fist, Cray made to bring it down on the young baker. Suddenly, a hand shot out and seized his arm as he brought it down.

It was Peeta. Despite having a bullet lodged in his stomach, he was fighting back, pushing Cray's free arm off and away from him. Cray looked momentarily surprised but then snarled, pushing back against Peeta as they engaged in a bizarre form of arm-wrestling. "Hrrrrr…"

"Grrrrrrhrrrr….." Peeta was growling fiercely, using all his remaining strength to keep Cray at bay. At last, he gave a roar and pushed Cray's arm back as far as it would go.

CRACK! The sound of bone breaking was deafening as Cray's arm was pushed back out of its socket. Cray cried out and cradled his now busted arm. He could only stare at a defiant Peeta, stunned.

"Who are you?" he almost spluttered.

"Peeta Mellark. I'm the wrestling champion at school and Katniss Mellark is my wife. And don't you forget it!"

The Hob erupted in cheers. Using his strength and his wits, Peeta had defended his family and humiliated Cray in the process.

Suddenly, Cray played the only card he had left. He whirled his gun arm around as Peeta stared back to his wife with a weak smile.

"PEETA, LOOK OUT!"

Another CRACK! could be heard as Cray pistol-whipped his gun into the side of Peeta's skull. Peeta crumbled to the floor. Gale and a few brave men rushed forward and tackled Cray, wrestling away the gun and beating the Peacekeeper within an inch of his life. Katniss, meanwhile, cradled her husband's head in her lap. He was still alive, judging by the pulse, but only just.

Hands suddenly made to grab Peeta. Katniss looked wildly about her, but it was only Haymitch Abernathy.

"Come on, sweetheart. Let's get him back to your mother."

And so Haymitch and Gale carried Peeta away to the Seam, Katniss scampering after them.


	5. Chapter 5: We're Together Now

**Chapter 5: We're Together Now**

Thank goodness her mother and Prim were such amazing healers. After feverishly working on Peeta, they had patched him up enough to ensure that Peeta would be just fine.

Katniss now sat next to her husband, lying flat on his stomach on the Everdeen kitchen table. The crackle of the firelight made his hair and perfect face glow more. Gently, Katniss rolled her husband over to check the bandages around his middle, as was her job. Admiring his chest muscles, she began to give him a gentle massage. He groaned in pleasure and stirred slightly.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered and gently kissed his lips. His eyes fluttered open and he smiled weakly.

"Hello, my love."

"Hey, honey," she smiled. She kissed him again. "My brave little hero," she murmured with a smile. "Defending his family. Defending our baby."

Peeta chuckled as he strummed his hands across Katniss' wide belly. "Hey, now. I didn't do all the work. Our little guy was helping protect his mama, too."

"Hmmmm…" Katniss smiled contently as she rubbed her womb. "Well, if he grows up to be anything like his Daddy, I'll be a very safe woman, indeed."

Husband and wife shared a chaste kiss before Katniss squeezed onto the table, curling into Peeta's side before they both fell asleep.


End file.
